A grand redesign of a Chatham park has seen it fitted out with new benches, plant beds, a small amphitheatre space and sloping pathways added for easier accessibility. The Paddock, which harks back to the Edwardian era, has reopened following a £2million facelift. The Paddock, between Chatham Waterfront bus station and the Pentagon shopping centre, in the centre of Chatham has been overhauled for the public to enjoy.
The project has taken four years to come to fruition, but the designs have changed over time and a water-feature was axed due to cost concerns. Leader of Medway Council, Cllr Vince Maple cut the ceremonial ribbon on the redeveloped greenspace along with deputy mayor Cllr Douglas Hamandishe this morning (August 13). Designers said the new design works with many of the existing features as well as paying tribute to Chatham’s heritage, while also adding new improvements.
Additionally, the redevelopment has sought to make the area safer by improving lighting and expanding the scope of CCTV cameras. In place of the proposed water feature, there is instead a paved area with seating around the edge and a 19th century map of Chatham carved into the ground. The materials used also are intended to relate to Chatham’s naval history, using particularly wood and untreated steel for the benches and walls.
The designers also say they have adapted the green areas of the park so the horse-chesnut trees, some of which have been in place for more than a hundred years, have mor.